Dress to God's Word / "Liturgical Dress": June 15

See 10 connections with today?
Legend below

Listen

For Psalm 146

For gospel

Look it up/ Presley, Orrall, with verse about how hard it is for us to forgive ("It's what Jesus has in store for you, but I don't..."); this cover avoids the original's bad language. lyrics+

Read

2 Cor 8:1-9 The grace of God was given to the churches of Macedonia; they were joyful and generous though poor and afflicted. They gave themselves first to the Lord and through his will to us. May you too be generous and show your love and concern for others, as Christ became poor so you might become rich.

Ps 146:2, 5-9a "Praise the Lord, my soul!" God helps those who hope in him; he secures justice, gives food, frees captives, restores sight, raises those bowed down, loves the just, and protects strangers.

Mt 5:43-48 “You've heard, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I say, love your enemies and pray for your persecutors. Your Father makes his sun rise and rain fall on the bad and the good. Even tax collectors love those who love them. Be perfect, like your Father.”

Reflect

Creighton: Paul raised money for Judea to help them in their famine, starting with Macedonia, where the poor gave beyond their means. They had joy in abundance and gave spontaneously beyond his expectations. In the 1st reading, Paul encourages the Corinthians to give like the Macedonians to show their love is genuine, remembering how Christ became poor so the Corinthians might become rich. His challenge to be like the Macedonians is at a deeper level one to be like Jesus. Jesus tells us to extend our love to our enemies, as God loves even those who hate him, to be perfect like our Father. No matter how little we may have, may we rejoice in God who became poor for our sake.

One Bread, One Body: "The greatest love": Loving our enemies is treating them as well as or better than our friends, praying for and giving to them, showing affection for them in a way they can receive, honoring the. Impossible, it shows we're our Father's children. Loving enemies is shocking, prophetic, and evangelistic....

Passionist: In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus turns the Law upside down. We should be about the spirit, not letter, of the law. Loving enemies shows we're our Father's children. God’s merciful love falls on the good and bad alike. Do I accept that love and allow it to dictate who I am? “Within us is an extremely rich place, built entirely of gold and precious stones… something incomparably more precious than what we see outside ourselves” (Teresa, The Way of Perfection). The ‘stones’ are the love of God, love that can transform us and enable us to love our enemy. Love brings us to perfection, calling us to be whole, to grow into the person that God calls us to be, one with Him, his brother or sister, one with the Spirit within us. May we open ourselves to God’s transforming love.

DailyScripture.net: "Love and pray for your enemies": God is good to the unjust and the just.; he loves saints and sinners. God teaches us to seek others' greatest good, even our enemies'. Our love must be marked by the kindness and mercy God has shown us, though it's harder when we expect nothing in return. Our prayer for those who do us ill breaks the power of revenge and releases the power of love. God's love, power, and grace conquer our hurts, fears, prejudices, and griefs, healing and saving us. 'Perfect" in Aramaic means 'complete' or 'whole,' not lacking in what's essential. God gives us every good gift so we may not lack what we need to do his will. He assures us of his love, mercy, and grace....

Today's saints, from Universalis: Bl. Peter Snow and Ralph Grimston: Priest Snow and married priest-protector Grimston, martyrs

Dress legend

'Musical notes with "joy"' pin; God's grace: in affliction, their joy overflowed (1st reading)

'Money bag' tie pin: The collection; Christ became poor so that you might become rich (1st reading); what recompense will you have if you just love those who love you? Tax collectors do that (gospel)

'Love' suspenders sticker, 'hearts' tie: As you excel in... love, may you excel in this act too (1st reading); love your enemies (gospel)

Dress to God's Word / "Liturgical Dress"